Report Card
by Ronja85
Summary: Nick has to face the music and come clear with Luke. Just a short follow up on my first story 'Home is where the heart is'. Bit of a spoiler to the outcomes of my first story but, because I'm not sure if I will ever finish that one I decided to publish this one anyway. Please R&R.


Alright, so this was it! He had to face the music and had to do it like a man. It was just one report card, Nick told himself, and Luke was a reasonable man…sometimes. The thought of just not showing his card crossed his mind, but was abandoned right away. Luke had not asked about it yet, but that said nothing. Miss Harper would call him immediately as soon as he would not appear on the pta meeting. Luke would never miss one and if his dad found out, he would be in even more trouble than he was already. With his head held high and a big gasp of air Nick stepped in to the living room where Bo and Luke studied the building plans of the barn they were working on for a couple of days.

The boy's entrance caught their attention, and something in the expression of his face or the position of his body must have given him away. "You ok kid?" Bo asked immediately. 'You look like ya've just seen a rattlesnake." Nick appreciated his concern but did not answer the question, fully focused on his dad. "Luke can I talk to you?" He asked as calm as he could. Luke immediately knew this would not be a living room conversation. "Kitchen?" He asked. Nick nodded, kitchen would definitely be better than bedroom or barn in this situation. It would be saver.

They took their seats opposed to each other at the kitchen table and Luke looked at his boy with questioning eyes. "What's bothering you son, something to do with Samantha?" Nick shook his head and without saying anything placed his report card at the table. "Was that today?" Luke asked sincerely surprised. "Yesterday… " Nick winced. "I'm sorry pall, I have not been thinking about that at all, Bo and me have been so busy with our job on that barn we have to finish this week. Is that where you upset about, that I forgot?" Nick had to swallow before he could speak. He felt so bad that in a couple of moments he would be disappointing his dad and it didn't make him feel any better that Luke looked for the blame in himself first. It made him feel worse. "No dad, that's not it, I know how busy you've been and I hadn't mentioned it yet." "Well what is it then?" Luke asked, because his boy had stopped and couldn't get the words out. "It can't be your grades, you are a fine student." Nick swallowed again. "Don't be so sure about that." he whispered and handed him the report card to look at it. A shivering went down his spine. Handing his dad the report card felt like that one time he had to fetch Luke's belt for him from his bedroom so his dad could whip him with it, after sneaking out with Samantha to the Boars Nest, drinking beer and not to return till the break of dawn.

Luke looked at his sons grades and a frown appeared on his forehead. "How is this possible Nick?" He asked loud. "C- in Maths, 'C-' in Chemistry and Physics', a 'D' in Biology! You're failing Biology!" " A 'D' is not failing….I still got a B for English and literature and a B- for everything in social studies." I tried to shine a brighter glance on the situation, but I knew it would be in vain. "But you are an A student in those courses Nick!" He sighed and irritation took place were amazement had been. "You better start talking and explain this to me kid" Although Luke was irritated he didn't seem to be angry, at least not yet and that took away some of Nick nerves. "Well I hadn't expected it to be this bad." He started "I messed up and I'm sorry." Luke leaned back on his chair and let the report card lay down on the table. "Forget about sorry for a while kid, you can save that for later." he said, the frown still glued to his forehead. "What I wanna know is how this has happened, how my son, who has a pretty good brain, and can ask for help with his school works at anytime, is getting C's and D's on his list." Nick felt the guild rising up. He knew Luke was right. No matter what time it was, or what he or Uncle Jesse were doing, those men had been there to help him every time. And if he had been working on something they could not have helped him with, they would have searched for somebody in town that could. But he hadn't asked for much help lately, He had not been spending much time a school at all. "I don't know dad." Nick answered his father uneasily " I mean I do know, but there is no big explanation I can give you. Everything went so well, I thought I could do this school stuff with a bit less effort. You know have some more fun. I guess I just slacked off, got distracted, missed some homework assignments. " "Distracted by what?" Luke asked and in the way his body let go of some tension Nick knew hiss dad appreciated him being upfront about it, instead of searching for excuses. "More than one thing I guess." He said and let his eyes drop. "Working at the bookstore, hanging out with the guys at the lake, Samantha…." His voice couldn't hide a bit of embarrassment while saying the name of his girlfriend.

Luke sighed. He was thinking hard to make a good interpretation of this situation. "You know Nick, you have done very well, last couple of years. You have been working hard for school and I've been proud on you for that" He said and Nick knew it wasn't a false compliment. When he first started going to school in Hazzard, it was a drama. Luke had to check om him every way, threatening punishments and granting rewards to make him go to school and do his homework. But that had changed. While getting settled more and more and especially when the adoption was final a sort of rest had come over him and he didn't need Luke's constant guiding to get sufficient grades. In reaction to that Luke had rewarded his son with more freedom to make his own choices

"Look, I know you are young." Luke went on. "And everybody slacks of now and then when they're young, so I don't blame you so much for that but…." Nick nodded. He knew where Luke was headed. Even though Luke wanted him to do his best, he could perfectly relate to him when he wanted to spend more time with his friends and girl instead of doing schoolwork. Maybe he could understand this desire even better than the desire to study. But it had gone too far and Nick hadn't told him. He had kept him out, lied to him and if there was one thing Luke could not relate to was lying to your family. "I know…" Nick said ashamed. "I should have filled you in sooner."

Luke hummed to confirm his sons statement. "How can it be that I didn't know anything about this. Why didn't I know your grades were dropping? You always show me your test results when you get them back. I hardly saw any test below 80 %, maybe 72 % once and you told me then you had studied the wrong paragraphs. " "I might not have showed you exactly everything, dad." Nick said, knowing this was the part of the conversation were it would become though. Luke crossed his arms and pushed his chair a bit backwards with his feet. "Keep talking." He said shortly. Nick shrugged. "Like I said, I was slacking off a bit. Well when I got my first test results back, they weren't really brilliant, but not that bad either. I guess I still showed you the most of those, but when I got my first D well…. I didn't want you to get upset, and I thought I had enough time to get my average up again, so…" "So you didn't show me your test with a D on it." Luke finished his sentence for him. "No I didn't and when the next D came I didn't tell you either. I was afraid you would call my teachers and find out about what I already had hidden. And like I said, I still thought I could get my grades up again." Nick looked Luke in the eye, only to see the acknowledgment this was the part his father was upset about. " I tried to get back up and I did get some B's for quizzes and assignments even for Physics en Chem, but I guess the weighing was not so strong for those results. " "And I guess those were the test you did show me." Luke said with a dash of disappointment in his tone. Nick said yes with his head and hummed. "But it was too late, I guess. I had lost track, got too far behind and in the last round just before report cards were due I blew it. Screwed up some major test"

"But why have your teachers not informed me as soon as your grades dropped. I would've expect a note or a call. And now we are talking about it, why didn't I see a progress rapport?" Nick head turned bright read and he didn't know where to look. "There were notes?" Luke asked more amazed then he had already been. "I might have forged your autograph…..twice." I said barely hearable. "You might!?" Luke spoke loud obviously annoyed with my repeating choice of words. "And what about the progress report?" Nick kept quite like he couldn't find the right words to say the obvious. "Well come on son, time to go the whole nine yards here" Luke said in a way that didn't take no for an answer. "Well it was in the mail, but since you didn't asked…" Nicks voice was not more than a squeak but loud enough for Luke who was listening very carefully. "I didn't ask?! Since when am I to ask for mail that has my name on it!?" He shouted and Nick was sure Bo must have heard him in the living room. 'O boy.' He thought to himself. This didn't went well at all and he guessed this was the part where the apologies were in order. "I'm sorry Luke, I really am, I know I messed up, but it was just so controversial." He pleaded. "Mr. Ryan was glad I could work more hours in the bookstore, hanging out more with the guys was great, well and Samantha, well she..,,she loves having me around too. Everything went so well, all except for school" "And having to hide things from your family." Luke corrected him in a non-friendly way. "Yeah I know, I didn't like that either dad." Nick said sincere. "But when I didn't show you those first couple of tests, well I didn't dare to tell you anymore. I'm sorry, I know I should have, but I guess it looked easier this way."

Nick couldn't say anything more, but Luke wasn't finished yet. "Well this is why Uncle Jesse always says what he says." He said on a reprimanding tone. "Lying is a hard habit to brake."

Nick nodded but did not know how to react. "And if I remember it well, he also has some bible verses about a an broad and easy road, saying easy is not always better, but maybe I should let you look it up to see if I remember it correctly." The boy sighed. Although I he knew Luke had all the right to be upset with him and lecture him, he couldn't help getting a bit irritated when his dad started preaching in the same way as Uncle Jesse did. Not like he read the bible himself much and Nick thought of him being more nostalgic than original when his dad did this. "Please Luke, no bible verses okay? And I don't need to look it up, it is Matthew 7. Uncle Jesse made me copy the complete chapter a couple of times, after fighting with Joey Bricket in church, remember. I practically know it by hard, but I can't remember it referring to making home work in that chapter." I hoped my last comment would clear the air a little, and luckily it did. Luke smiled a little. " I do sound a bit like an old geezer, when I say those things to you do I." Nick smiled back. "You do a bit dad." He said, careful not to overdo it. "But I do understand that you're upset, I did messed up pretty big." Luke gave the boy who was becoming a man more and more and gave him a melancholic look. "Yeah you did, but I'm glad you are upfront with me about it now, although I wished you had done it sooner." Nick looked down at the red and white tablecloth. "I guess this does mean that we have to sharpen some rules around here again kid." he said stern. "Like set times for checking homework with one of us and set times for working or for hanging out with friends and girlfriend. And I will have to call your teachers once in a while to ask how you are doing." Nick felt bad, really bad. He had disappointed Luke and violated his trust. This should not have happened.. Of course school had bucked him sometimes. He was young and had many other things on his mind, but school had also given him the feeling of being successful. Alright he had never gotten straight A's, but nobody expected that from him either. The fact was he got his stuff together, took his responsibility's and his family could trust him in this and that made him feel good. And now two months of slacking off and lying to his dad ruined that. "Luke, may I say something?" He asked careful, staring at the table. "Of course kid, but I would like it if you looked at me, while you said it." Nick could hear Luke wasn't angry anymore and did as requested. "I know what I did was wrong dad." He started his plea. "I shouldn't have kept things from you and I will take the consequences for that without complaining, but please let me fix those grades by myself. You said I could do it before yourself and I want to show you I can do it still." Luke looked at me with questioning eyes. "What are you suggesting pall?"

"Please, just give me the opportunity to do better by myself. I already had a talk with my Biology teacher about extra assignments and I will do so with my other teachers. I'm sure I can do some retests. I will do the extra work and my homework and I will study for my tests, but please let me make my own agenda so I can show you that you can trust me to do it myself without you having to check on me. I promise you can trust in me to show you my test results and that I will ask for your help if I need it." Luke thought over the proposition , clearly his kid was growing up. "I admire your wish for independence Nick and I appreciate you find it important that I have trust in you. I want to give you that opportunity, but I have two objections to your proposition."

Nick obvious was disappointed by this answer, but Luke didn't gave him room to response. "First objection, this is your midterm report card of your second semester. In about nine weeks finals are coming up. What if you forget about this little conversation along the road?" For a second Nick thought Luke didn't believe him. "I won't dad, really, I swear. Like I told you I'm really sorry and I want to do better. " "Nick, relax for a moment okay. I believe you, of course I do, but all I want to say is I don't wanna take any risks. You're in High school now kid, things are counting, GPA's and stuff. What if you don't manage to do it on your own and again I wasn't watching. What if you don't pass?"

"Of course I will pass Luke, don't be crazy. I'm not failing anything yet. Please Luke, give me four weeks to show you. In 4,5 weeks progress reports are in the mail again and I will promise you I won't steel it again." Luke growled "You're d*mn sure you won't cause I'll tan you hide good if you ever think of doing something like that again. Steeling somebody's mail is an official crime you know." Nick paled, but more by the tone than by the contents of the thread and he was glad Luke went on in the same formal tone as he had been doing before the tread. "Second objection, if we follow your proposal and I still allow you to decide your own agenda, were exactly are we getting to the point of you facing the consequences for lying, hiding information and steeling mail that was directed to me."

Nick swallowed. Summed up like that it sounded much worse than it had looked like.

"Uh well, I didn't say you should let me go off without punishment." He said embarrassed having to say this. "But please just don't take over." It was all too clear to Luke, that this was a important issue to Nick. He sighed. "Allright, and what kind of punishment are we talking about then?" He asked the boy. "cause according to your plan I can't ground you and lock you up in your bedroom with only your study books, like I would want to. At least not for the complete month. " Nick gasped. Luke wouldn't do that right? Not for real? "Well I don't know, I'm sure you'll think of something." Nick said still embarrassed. He hated it as Luke would let him name his own punishment.

But Luke didn't gave in. "Give me some inspiration son, you have thought this threw, now time to get in to the details." Nick knew there was no way to escape this. "Well I could do extra chores, or something." He started. "Or no going out on weekend nights, take away my radio or comic " Luke didn't showed much response yet, so Nick knew he was to go on. "Help you guys with the barn after school, or Uncle Jesse out on the land?" He looked at Luke, but there was still no acknowledgement he had said something that would satisfy Luke. Nick's voice became to sound a bit desperate. "I don't know anything else Dad, make me copy the complete bible or something, discipline me if you have to." Luke couldn't help grinning a little. He knew Nick used the word discipline when he referred to a punishment in which his behind would do the suffering even though he or Uncle Jesse never used this word very often. Somehow Nick felt himself too old to be "spanked" but neither was he very fond of using words as "hiding" or "tanning", cause these might implicate more than he was in for.

Luke leaned backwards on his chair. "Well I suppose we rule out the one with the bible cause I'm not feeling much for sending you off to monastery." Luke joked. Nick relaxed a little but was not at ease completely. It was not the option he would've like to rule out first.

"And I think we can settle this situation without me taking it out on your behind seeing we are having a pretty good conversation going here. I can see you're growing up." Luke's last words sounded warm and the compliment made Nick feel very grateful Luke had became his father.

"Thanks dad." He said sincere but looking away at the same time.

"Well I guess I also slacked off as a dad some this last month. I should have noticed I didn't see as much of your schoolwork as I used to."

"Well that still didn't give me the right to hide things from you. I knew you and Bo were having lots. of work on your hands. " Nick confessed. "I should not have taken advantage of that. Not that I did that very deliberate, but still."

Luke nodded and his frown appeared again. "Okay kid, let us come to an end of this." he said and Nick knew the verdict was coming. "This will be a compromise. You're grounded for one week, in this week you will work a minimum of hours at the bookstore, only as much as Mr. Ryan really needs you. No social visits, no driving or working on your car, no chats on the phone. Just schoolwork and the extra chores we will give you. Being at home all day will give you enough time for this, next to you extra schoolwork. So far everything clear?" He asked one a 'I want you to remember this well' sort of tone.

"Yes sir." Nick replied polite, he knew things weren't finished yet.

"Good, after this week your agenda is all yours again. You can make your arrangements as you think is wise accept for weekend nights. No going out until your next progress report. Maybe you can ask friends over here, we have to see how things go. Further, not as a punishment, but as an additional rule, you will work on your homework in the living room or at the kitchen table. I won't interfere, I won't check on your work, but I do want to have some visible reassurance that you are working."

"Yes sir." Nick replied, seeing Luke demanded a verbal affirmation again.

"And from now on, you keep me posted on all your test results, notes from teachers and you ask for help if you get stuck."

"I will dad, I swear."

"Don't swear, just know I will lock you up at the farm until finals if you don't. You get that?"

"Loud and clear dad." Nick said on a 'don't get yourself all worked up' kind of tone, he knew he had to be careful with. Luckily Luke let it pass.

"Good, than I think we are almost done here." Luke said putting his chair back on all four legs.

Almost? Nick thought, what more could there be?

"What else is there dad? " he asked with clear confusion.

" Coming time, I want you to think about something kid." Luke said seriously. "You know Bo and me, we slacked off at school a lot. Jesse had to really work on us to make sure we'd pass every year. "

Nick grinned. "I know dad, I heard the stories, but that was mostly Bo right, not you?"

"Well, don't give up to high about me son. Bo might had more troubles with his grades than I did, but I also got _distracted_ , as you called is so nicely, and was in the risk zone quite some times. Consequences therefore were that neither me nor Bo ever went to college. Daisy could have tried to apply, she did way better in school than we did, but she chose not to. She didn't want to leave us guys here at the farm."

Nick still did not exactly got were Luke was getting, but he knew this wasn't just one of the stories about the good oll days.

"What are you trying to say dad?" he asked.

Luke sighed. "What I'm trying to say Nick, is that you are a smart kid. You can do way better than Bo or me have ever done. Actually you have been doing way better already . I don't really understand what you got with all them books and literature and stuff but I'm proud of you that you do. You could be the first Duke ever to go to college." It surprised Nick, Luke was getting so serious on this subject. Of course Luke had made sure he would do his best at school, but they never talked about the why's and the future.

"Jeeze dad, I'm only a freshman yet. College is not for many years, and I don't even know or I want to study on after high school. Maybe I just wanna stay and work here with you guys on the farm."

Luke knew this wasn't the time and place to continue the conversation about his sons academic planning in full. "I know kid, and you don't have to make up your mind about that now, but what I do want is that you live up to your potential. If C is the best you can do on a subject fine by me, but when B's and A's are within your potential I want you to make sure you get those. You know better about GPA's and how that works than I do and if in a couple of years you decide you do wanna go to college, I want this to be is an option for you."

Nick was wondering or he had to remind hid dad that this was his first bad report card in 2 years and that it was only midterm, but he decided he'd better not go there.

"Allright dad, point taken, I'll to the best I can."

"Good, than, if there is nothing more you want to add, this conversation is finished."

Both men stood up from their chairs and walked to the living.

"Can I call Samantha to say I can't visit her this evening? And Mr. Ryan to talk about working hours this week?"

"Yeah of course." Luke said and wanted to walk over to Bo again who still was staring at the construction plans. Nick, though felt he had to say something else.

"Dad," He said, with a bit of hesitation.

"Yeah pall?" Luke reacted with curiosity and turned around.

"Thanks for not going all ballistic on me and giving me this change."

Luke smiled and gave his son a short hug. "I trust you kid, you'll be fine. Now go on and call your girl."

Nick walked away with a smile en Bo looked at Luke with clear question marks.

"What kind a hallmark moment was that?" He joked.

"Bad report card, he's been slacking off." Luke gave him the summary

"Well that would be about time. I never understood this kid reading all them books and stuff.

That's not healthy is it." Bo sad surprisingly serious.

Luke glared at his cousin. "As long as you don't even think about telling him that cus." And he gave his cousin a slap to the head.

"Hey!" Shouted Bo, and the quarreling had began.


End file.
